The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet is the last of the books I added to use as an exemplars for my major research paper on fiction for emerging adults (18 - 25 year olds). I had intended to use Slam! by Nicholas Hornby, but was never as enthusiastic about it (it was originally published in the U.K. not in Canada - and there were rather too many similarities between it and one of the other novels I am using, Having Faith in the Polar Girls Prison by Cathleen With - not that the two books are really all that similar - but both deal with teenage pregnancy).

So when The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet was suggested as one which fit in with what I'm doing, I happily accepted a copy and now, having read it, have decided to use it.

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet was written by Reif Larsen and is about 12 yo T.S. a genius mapmaker who wins an award and fellowship at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. He does not go to his parents (Dad's a rancher not into all the science stuff, Mom's a self-absorbed scientist) or even to his supposed mentor (who is the person that nominated him for the award) but rather sets out on his own, hobo-ing his way there by train.

The book is unique in that it provides maps, diagrams and other assorted materials in its margins, and also includes a secondary work supposedly written by T.S.'s mother. I found these bits somewhat challenging at first - I have attention issues so a novel which includes its own distractions can be a bit frustrating - but soon discovered that they were well worth exploring and really did add a great deal to the experience of reading The Selected Works.

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet is, as Stephen King calls it, "a treasure", and has a great deal to offer; I did, however, find the ending of the book to be rather a disappointment; Dad shows up and they run away through secret tunnels presumably heading for home, the end. Fortunately, it wasn't the ending that made the experience worthwhile though - clearly, in this novel, it is the journey that matters.

Canadian

Canadian

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Do You Use Hubpages?

Apparently at some point about six weeks ago, I signed up for a hubpages account - and promptly forgot about it.

This week, I've come across quite a few bloggers talking about hubpages, so I went back and had another look.

I put up four quick pages.... but no real sense of whether it's worth continuing to add to them... seems to me I have enough with my blogs... but we shall see, I guess.

My hubs are:

• Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet
• Having Faith In The Polar Girls School
• Peace, Power, Righteousness
• Dear Author, Letters of Hope

Do you use hubpages? As a primary source of income, or as backlink builders?

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Having Faith in The Polar Girls Prison

Having Faith in the Polar Girls Prison, written by Cathleen With, is one of the three books I am working with for my Major Research Project re: publishing & emerging adults. Published by Penguin Group, it is scheduled for release later this month.

Trista, the main character, is a young native girl who is in the prison with her infant daughter, Faith. Told in her voice, the novel uses a stream of consciousness style, which allows the reader to experience Trista’s confusion and distress as she comes to terms with the possibility of losing Faith to foster care, and with the events that led to her incarcaration.

For a more detailed review, visit Quill & Quire.

My interest in this novel - aside from the fact that Andrea, my sister, recommended it for the project and she gives me free books so ….. is that although the title and cover suggest - to me, and to others in my course as well - a novel for adolescents, it is being released as Adult fiction….which gives scope for discussion in the paper. It also includes a whole bunch of themes that I am dealing with elsewhere - portrayals of First Nations people in literature being the big one, of course.

Having Faith in the Polar Girls Prison hubpage

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